College Football Playoffs 2025: Schedule, Matchup Previews & More

College Football Playoffs Overview:

• How to Watch the College Football Playoff
• College Football Playoff Schedule
• College Football Matchups & Results

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The College Football Playoff continues into the quarterfinals. In round one, Alabama upset Oklahoma on the road, Tulane and James Madison lost big and the Hurricanes clawed out a victory against the Aggies.

Now we enter the bowl rounds. Buckle up your metaphorical chinstrap and clear your schedule, it’s the most exciting time in college football.

Watch it all on MySports from DIRECTV!

How to Watch the College Football Playoff

The quarterfinals, semifinals and national championship rounds of the College Football Playoff will air on ESPN, Channel 209 on DIRECTV.

College Football Playoff Schedule

Here’s a full CFP schedule along with where to watch the games live. All times ET.

First round (Dec. 19-20)

• Friday, Dec. 19
  • Alabama def. 34-24
• No. 8 Oklahoma vs. No. 9 Alabama
• Saturday, Dec. 20:
  • Miami def. 10-3
  • Ole Miss def. Tulane 41-10
  • Oregon def. James Madison 51-34
• No. 7 Texas A&M vs. No. 10 Miami (Fla.)
• No. 6 Ole Miss vs. No. 11 Tulane | 3:30 p.m.
• No. 5 Oregon vs. No. 12 James Madison | 7:30 p.m.

Quarterfinals (Dec. 31-Jan. 1)

• Wednesday, Dec. 31
• No. 2 Ohio State vs. No. 10 Miami (Fla.) | Cotton Bowl | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN
• Thursday, Jan. 1
• No. 4 Texas Tech vs. No. 5 Oregon | Orange Bowl | 12 p.m. | ESPN
• No. 1 Indiana vs. No. 9 Alabama | Rose Bowl | 4 p.m. | ESPN
• No. 3 Georgia vs. No. 6 Ole Miss | Sugar Bowl | 8 p.m. | ESPN

Semifinals (Jan. 8-9)

• Thursday, Jan. 8
• Fiesta Bowl (Glendale, Ariz.) | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN
• Friday, Jan. 9
• Peach Bowl (Atlanta) | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN

College Football Playoff National Championship Game

• Monday, Jan. 19
• Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla. | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN

Need a refresher on the new College Football Playoff format? We’ve got you covered.

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College Football Matchups & Results

The field is set for the College Football Playoff. Not everyone is happy about the selection committee’s decisions, but these twelve teams are. Teams bolded have a first round bye. Teams denoted with an asterisk (*) were eliminated in the first round.

1. Indiana
2. Ohio State
3. Georgia
4. Texas Tech
5. Oregon
6. Ole Miss
7. Texas A&M*
8. Oklahoma*
9. Alabama
10. Miami (Fla.)
11. Tulane*
12. James Madison*

College Football Playoff Round 1 Results

The first round of the college football playoff is the only round played on the home field of the higher seeded opponent. Here are the results of each of the Round 1 games.

#9 Alabama def. #8 Oklahoma 34-24

Oklahoma ripped open a 17-0 start to the game only for Alabama to tie it up by halftime thanks to a blocked punt and a pick-six.

The teams traded punches throughout the second half, but Alabama’s defense was too overwhelming in the end. Alabama gets #1 Indiana in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1.

#5 Oregon def. #12 James Madison 51-34

Oregon scored touchdowns on their first six drives and James Madison couldn’t keep pace. A blocked punt to make it 48-13 Oregon was a twist of the knife. Oregon heads to the Sunshine State to take on Texas Tech in the Orange Bowl.

#6 Ole Miss def #11 Tulane 41-10

No Lane Kiffin, no problem for Ole Miss. The Rebels needed three plays in 59 seconds to take a 7-0 lead, and it was over from there in a rout of the Green Wave. Ole Miss gets a much greater test in round two. They meet Georgia in New Orleans for the Sugar Bowl.

#10 Miami (Fla.) def. #7 Texas A&M 10-3

Miami and Texas A&M held each other scoreless in the first half. It wasn’t until 1:50 left to play that Carson Beck connected with Malachi Toney for an 11-yard touchdown pass that made the difference.

Miami’s defense was exceptional. They forced three turnovers, recorded seven sacks and held Texas A&M rushers to just 2.5 yards per carry.

Miami’s offense, which struggled to move the ball against the Aggies, gets the nation’s #1 defense when they face the Ohio State Buckeyes in the Cotton Bowl.

College Football Quarterfinal

The college football quarterfinal is held at four neutral sites: the Cotton Bowl (AT&T Stadium), Orange Bowl (Hard Rock Stadium), Rose Bowl (Pasadena, CA) and Sugar Bowl (Caesars Superdome).

Here’s a look at the upcoming quarterfinal games.

#2 Ohio State vs #10 Miami – Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic

Wednesday, Dec. 31 at 7:30 p.m. (ESPN)

Ohio State and Miami each boast one of the nation’s best defenses. Ohio State held the Indiana Hoosiers to just 13 points in their Big 10 Championship defeat.

Meanwhile, the Hurricanes relented just a field goal to the Texas A&M Aggies in the first round of the college football playoff.

Wide receivers Jeremiah Smith for Ohio State and Malachi Toney for Miami are the kind of big play threats that could turn a hardnosed defensive battle, which this is likely to be.

#4 Texas Tech vs #5 Oregon – Capital One Orange Bowl

Thursday, January 1 at 12:00 p.m. (ESPN)

Texas Tech is once again one of the most potent offenses in the country. They’re second in points scored and rank fifth in total yards per game, including third in passing. Running back Cameron Dickey and wide receiver Caleb Douglas headline a cavalry of playmakers on offense.

Oregon is also one of the nation’s best offenses again. They’re sixth in points scored and 10th in total yards. Quarterback Dante Moore gets a prime opportunity to showcase his NFL potential.

And then there are the defenses. Those are top ten units too! They may not have the same notoriety as their fellow quarterfinalists, but these are two of the most complete teams in the nation.

#1 Indiana vs #9 Alabama – Rose Bowl Presented by Prudential

Thursday, January 1 at 4:00 p.m. (ESPN)

Indiana’s 11-2 season in 2024 was miraculously eclipsed by the first undefeated season in the school’s history since 1945. Quarterback Fernando Mendoza put on a Heisman-clinching performance in the Big Ten Championship in a 13-10 victory over Ohio State.

The Hoosiers and Mendoza get another legacy test against the Alabama Crimson Tide. Bama shrugged off an early 17-0 deficit against Oklahoma to upset the Sooners in the first round and now have a chance to spoil Indiana’s magic season.

#3 Georgia vs #6 Ole Miss – Allstate Sugar Bowl

Thursday, January 1 at 8:00 p.m. (ESPN)

Ole Miss fared just fine without now-former head coach Lane Kiffin in their round one rout of Tulane. The competition level jumps tenfold in the Sugar Bowl.

Georgia had one of the most quietly dominant seasons in history. Their defense was once again one of the nation’s most stout, allowing just under 16 points a game and just 284 total yards. On the year, opponents averaged just 4.8 yards per play against the Bulldogs.

Offensively, as is always the case with Georgia, the run game makes the team go. Running back Nate Frazier led the team with 861 yards. Chauncey Bowens contributed 500 yards of his own, and Gunner Stockton provided a dual threat, throwing for nearly 2,700 yards and rushing for another 400.

College Football Playoff Semifinal

Matchup TBD – Thursday, January 8

Fiesta Bowl (Glendale, Ariz.) | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN

Matchup TBD – Friday, January 9

Peach Bowl (Atlanta) | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN

College Football Playoff Final

Matchup TBD – Monday, January 19

Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla. | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN

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